From the 21st to the 25th, the masters will be competing at the Palau in the Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias. Kasparov retired from the competitive chess circuit years ago, but has agreed to come to Valencia for the 25th anniversary of the historic and controversial 1984 World Championship Bout between he and Karpov.

Garry Kasparov is a fascinating (and darkly handsome) figure, who has recently made news for his fierce anti-Putin leadership, a stance has cost him his popularity inside of Russia. Karpov, meanwhile, is an active member of Russia’s political class. The two men apparently have bad blood, stemming from their heated encounters in the past, and don’t speak to each other. They’ll be staying in separate hotels while in Valencia.

Valencia’s bout format consists of 4 semi-rapid matches and 8 blitz matches over the course of the 5 days. Ticket sales have already begun, and interest has been strong around the entire world. Tickets start at around €60.

For this event, signs are going up which trumpet Valencia as the birthplace of modern chess. Interesting… that’s something I hadn’t heard, and while the claim may be overly bold, it appears that there is some evidence to back it up…

You’d better be going to that. That is one of the top three legendary matches in the history of mankind. Don’t miss the rematch. I guarantee the results will make world news. Especially if you find a way to streak naked onstage and knock all the pieces to the floor shouting “Down with PUTIN!”

About Us

We're Jürgen and Mike, from Germany and the USA. We've been living in Valencia on-and-off since 2008. Much of our time is spent traveling the world with For 91 Days... but Valencia is the city we call home, and to which we'll always return.